Advice on what to buy

rfinch23 · Jul 22, 2023

Hi,
I live in a rural location and so the TV signal is not great. I would like some advice on what equipment I should be looking at without spending to much. It needs to feed 8 TV’s.
I believe the following will be required.
Coax
Small but good Aerial
A Masthead Amplifier
Remove indoor Splitter – and Install Distribution Amplifiers

Thanks in advance.

Roy

DPG · Jul 22, 2023

A good quality aerial on a sturdy pole is key. Then a splitter/Amplifier near the aerial as required (but in the loft to avoid future issues) - possibly with adjustable gain.

If you don't get a good signal in the first place then you will be amplifying and distributing noise as well as signal. You are talking signals in the order of microvolts.

And always use good quality coax and connectors.

Avo Mk8 · Jul 22, 2023

If reception is poor due to a weak signal, rather than interference, you will need an aerial with decent gain (more directors/ reflectors), which may not be compatible with 'small'
If there are any other properties around you, you might get a hint of the size you need (and the direction to point it!) from them.

You could consider using an aerial installer, who would have all the kit for measuring signal strength and getting the alignment correct, so likely get a better end result. I've found prices to be very reasonable, but if you are out in the wilderness maybe traveling would add to the cost.

littlespark · Jul 23, 2023

If you can’t get decent over-the-air signals, then I’d stop paying the tv licence and go for a load of smart tvs. Built in Netflix, Disney etc.
that is, if you’ve got a good broadband service and Wi-Fi.

8 tv’s?? Do all of them need an aerial?

Ever since I moved into my house in ‘07, we’ve had bad reception… and we weren’t allowed external aerial. (But satellite dish was ok for some reason) There was coax dropped from attic into a few rooms by the developers, but no aerial.
I spent years trying different aerials, different directions… (could pick up Border and Tyne Tees) Put in a power socket for a splitter, but regularly, and mostly the kitchen, the signal just dropped. Sometimes weather related, but nothing I could do would fix it.

Turned out the original amplifier I had put in was at fault. Replaced that, and replaced a massive aerial with a teeny totty one, and not had an issue since.

rfinch23 · Jul 23, 2023

Avo Mk8 said:
If reception is poor due to a weak signal, rather than interference, you will need an aerial with decent gain (more directors/ reflectors), which may not be compatible with 'small'
If there are any other properties around you, you might get a hint of the size you need (and the direction to point it!) from them.

You could consider using an aerial installer, who would have all the kit for measuring signal strength and getting the alignment correct, so likely get a better end result. I've found prices to be very reasonable, but if you are out in the wilderness maybe traveling would add to the cost.

BB is not an option we have to rely on 4G BB that can be problematic at times depending on the weather. So stuck with antenna.

brianmoooore · Jul 23, 2023

There's always Freesat. Despite living just a couple of miles away from a main TV transmitter, I've had a couple of customers with zero usable reception from it, and have fitted them up with a dish.

rfinch23 · Jul 29, 2023

littlespark said:
If you can’t get decent over-the-air signals, then I’d stop paying the tv licence and go for a load of smart tvs. Built in Netflix, Disney etc.
that is, if you’ve got a good broadband service and Wi-Fi.

8 tv’s?? Do all of them need an aerial?

Ever since I moved into my house in ‘07, we’ve had bad reception… and we weren’t allowed external aerial. (But satellite dish was ok for some reason) There was coax dropped from attic into a few rooms by the developers, but no aerial.
I spent years trying different aerials, different directions… (could pick up Border and Tyne Tees) Put in a power socket for a splitter, but regularly, and mostly the kitchen, the signal just dropped. Sometimes weather related, but nothing I could do would fix it.

Turned out the original amplifier I had put in was at fault. Replaced that, and replaced a massive aerial with a teeny totty one, and not had an issue since.

Hi thank you for your input. Nearly there however need to rethink the location of the antenna. This will add a fair amount of coax overall. I will be using a masthead but think I will need an outside amplifier to keep a good signal. I am having trouble finding any. Probably need a 1 to 4 outside amplifier and a 1 to 2 outside amplifier. Do you know of any. I am in the uk?

DPG · Jul 29, 2023

Can you not get a relatively short run of coax from the aerial into the loft, and then run it into a multi way distribution amplifier?

Avo Mk8 · Jul 29, 2023

I used to go for Labgear, but not bought any for quite a while!
This has 6 outputs - Specifying a 1-to-4 plus a 1-to-2 implies you might be thinking of splitting one of the outputs from the 4 way further down the line, which I suspect may not be ideal?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PKKTRBI?

PS might be cheaper elsewhere?

brianmoooore · Jul 29, 2023

A clean signal is more important than a strong signal with digital TV. A signal strength that gave a noticeably grainy picture on analogue will often give a perfect picture on digital, right down to where it becomes too weak, and the picture breaks up. Conversely, a strong analogue signal that gave a good picture, albeit with a bit of ghosting, can produce an unwatchable picture on digital.

rfinch23 · Jul 29, 2023

Avo Mk8 said:
I used to go for Labgear, but not bought any for quite a while!
This has 6 outputs - Specifying a 1-to-4 plus a 1-to-2 implies you might be thinking of splitting one of the outputs from the 4 way further down the line, which I suspect may not be ideal?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PKKTRBI?

PS might be cheaper elsewhere?

Hi,

thank you for the advic. I have purchased one of these to place close to the antenna, but I think I may end up with a good 100m coax run so not sure this will degrade to the point of wanting an outside amplifier mid way. My question would be can I insert another masthead or some sort of amplifier? Would just like to cover get all likely equipment upfron, I can always return what is not required .

again thank you for the advice.

Roy.